awards...

okay, I'm going to take a risk here and talk about blog awards. A blogger I recently started reading put up a post questioning what the awarding and meme'g and tagging thing was all about. Being a fairly new blogger, they had questions ...

got me to thinking more about it ... I always have mixed reactions to awards ... on the one hand, it is of course nice to have recognition... when an award is bestowed and there is feedback given about one's writing efforts ... it is gratifying. It is also nice to write about others I admire and/or enjoy. And memes can be fun because you learn something new about the blogger.

then come the rules. I understand that providing some guidelines might help the 'love' get passed along. but they seem to get a little strident at times. somewhat demanding.

Also, since the purpose of the rules is to mandate who and how to pass the thing along ... well, there are only so many blogs one can read and gain familiarity with. So inevitably the same circle of bloggers within a 'following' tend to get hit over and over again. And they seem to come in waves because of this phenomenon as well.

I admit I have found it stressful to receive an award. Kind of damned if I do and damned if I don't. How am I going to come up with new recipients so I don't keep burdening the same folks? How will I find time to read some newer blogs more thoroughly so I know whether or not to tag them? If I don't respond, will I insult the blogger who gave it? How do I react if I am ignored?

what would Jenny do? (since she is my blogging idol ... ) well I kind of know. She always seems to find time to come and comment on my peasant blog, if she receives recognition. But I've never seen her actually respond on her site. But then she's famous. What if I did the research and found out her history includes a series of awards that led to her success? hmmmmm.

what say you?

eat my cake.

Another blog award from my generous fellow Bloggess Utah Savage. This one's a treat because it is frenchified. The Marie Antoinette recognition is apparently intended to go to bloggers who have something to say, who tell the truth.

I prefer to believe la Madame was a generous sort, wanting to share her gateau with the hordes at her door. Kind of like my own self-illusion, welcoming all of you hordes (okay, so I'm wont towards exaggeration) for a piece of my (not so) literary cake and sometimes even frosting!

My cake is all the flavors of the world, just like my partygoers arriving for a bite. Sometimes I don't feel like baking and cop out by serving store bought. but somehow you all still keep showing up. so here, have a piece on me.

The seven of you I'm tagging have French illusions like me ... and write in earnest about your desires and experiences in trying to make illusions reality.

In An Old House in Paris ... who is determined to master French, who has fallen in love with Paris, who has begun her dream in earnest.

These Days in French Life ... who is sort of pioneering in France, blazing new trails and taking no prisoners.

Chez Loulou ... She's tasting life in the South of France, living her dream and bedazzling us with photos of beauty. French beauty, I might add.

A Southern Belle Goes to Paris, y'all ... she dreams of her life in Paris, and is working every day to create it ... can you picture the accent?!

Chez Rigsby ... a newly discovered blogman who, like me, is documenting his new life in France.

Notre Vie Juteuse ... well, we are co-conspirators in this life adventure ... we leaped the sea to explore the land of our dreams. And I think the Marie pic will look pretty on her blog wall.

La France Profonde ... she's an old hat at this France stuff down in the Aveyron ... and hey, us 'mericans gotsta represent!

So, again I tried to introduce some new kids to the table. Move over, make room on your readers for the ones you haven't met. Make them feel welcome, won't you?

post.script. Apparently the lack of rules on this particular award are a bit befuddling. What I garnered is ... think of bloggers who impress you with the veracity of their words ... honesty, raw emotion, telling it like it is ... you get my drift. And then recognize them. From what I can tell there can be as few or as many as one wishes. Live life dangerously, just go for it ... Like Marie Antoinette!

I'm it.

aha, during my Evelyn Woods-style catch up scanning, I've discovered that not only did Monsieur one-L NOT go see Amy Rigby, after she and Wreckless Eric spent hard-earned cash to come perform for him ... but now he has gone and TAGGED me. again.

grrrr. self-revelation. shudder. but this one is pretty tame so I'll give'er'a'go.

1. Clothes shop. hmmmm. Well, currently it is a little boutique up the lane in Brantome. When I came here I swore I wasn't going to buy any new clothes for one year. After going through the massive downsizing ... sorting, selling, tossing of crap that included excess clothing, I felt I could go at least a year with what was left. However, my body is in a state of flux ... a state of reduction ... and my pants were literally falling off of my ass. And belted was just NOT a pretty sight. So my first idea was to have Johnelle bring me 2 pairs of jeans from my old standby, Ann Taylor. The only store where previously I could walk in, grab off the racks and pay ... none of that horrendous, demoralizing, debilitating trying on in a cube lined with mirrors and fluorescent lighting for me.

She brought the 2 pairs, one was one size smaller, one was two sizes smaller ... as requested ... and they were both too big! So I had to break down and go on in to town. Wish I could tell you the name of the boutique but alas I don't remember ... but my beautiful black jeans with delicious waxy denim are unforgettable.

Oh and I also kind of like Zara. Dropped a little coin there in Spain because I had to have more than one pair of pants that fit me. Now I have 4. yay me!

2. Furniture shop. Mignonne Décor, of course. We find the absolute best vintage pieces and my daughter refinishes and refurbishes by hand. We also carry cool new pieces too like stuff from Kartell.

I really am not a big fan of purchasing new furniture. I feel like there is enough stuff in the world, let's all just reuse it. I do like browsing furniture catalogues for ideas though. I have an eclectic design approach and love a melange of epochs, styles and colors.

3. Sweet. hmmm. well, I am more of a savory lover ... but Valhrona chocolate IS the bomb. Okay? Also, I will tell you that the absofuckinglutely BEST dessert on the planet, consumed by me, resides at the Blue Hour in Portland, Oregon. It is a chocolate pot-de-creme that is better than sex. Yes, I said. ME. better than sex. Well okay maybe not better than that one time on Stinson Beach in the 90s or that one OTHER time .... but I digress. Generally speaking, better than most sex. the average sex average Americans have....

If you ever find yourself in Portland and pass up the opportunity to indulge, you are just plain crazy.

4. City. ummm. derrr!!!!! PARIS. mais oui, bien sur. (eyeroll). Duhhh!!! Can you say, Place des Vosges? la Seine? Montmartre? le Marais? Luxembourg Gardens? Tour Eiffel? Isle de St. Louis? bah, oui!

5. Drink? slurp. A Figoun cocktail from À Côté in Oakland, California is delish. A French 75 from the Heathman Hotel in Portland is divine. A Hendricks Gin and Tonic with lime mixed by moi is heavenly. And my latest favorite, le rum punch by Monsieur Jean-Yves suits me to a T. (rum, sugar cane syrup and fresh squeezed lime warms all the way down).

Oh wait a sec. this WASN'T about alcohol? bummer. Okay then Pellegrino with fresh lime is my stand-by. Even here. In Evian and Badoit land.

6. Music? God. Who on earth could pick just one favorite musician? C'est impossible! truly. I love Django and Edith, Miles and the Bird and Coltrane, I love Aretha and Rev Al, the Beatles and the Stones ... gimme some Loretta Lynn or Patsy Cline ... Teddy Pendergrass back in the day, got by with some O'Jays (can you hum Desire Me?) ... or then there is The Bird and the Bee, The Jets, Van Morrison, Leonard Cohen, Ella and Nina and Sarah and Billie ... what about Louis Armstrong? ... Joao Gilberto? Sanseverino? Ben Harper? Stevie? Bob Marley? Donny Hathaway?

Merde. C'est impossible. My list is never ending.

7. TV Series? hmmm. The Office. Six Feet Under. Sex And the City. Deadwood. Sopranos.

8. Film. Another impossibility. But currently, La Mome springs to mind.

9. Workout?! LMAO. that's right, I'm currently using the laughing my ass off regime for health and well being.

10. Pastries. again, not really my domain. I'll have to go with fresh croissants from my local boulangerie. Or the Elvis Presley cupcake from St. Cupcake in Portland.

11. Coffee. Major Dickason's beans from Peets. Brewed by me in my Italian Espresso Pot.

Now comes the part that is difficult. passing it on. Utah Savage, Notre Vie Juteuse, La Framericaine, and In an old house in Paris.